EPA Didn’t Report $7 Billion in 2022 Total Spending?

Paresh Jadhav

10 months ago

The Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) is funding the next generation of zero-emission school buses in an unprecedented program in the US.

2023 saw 17 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters – shattering the previous record of 16.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing over $50 billion into our water infrastructure, with funding allocated according to need; including $3 billion specifically allocated for identification and replacement of lead service lines.

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Watchdog

As part of its robust enforcement and compliance program, EPA works tirelessly to ensure communities have access to clean air and protect their health by addressing environmental violations and maintaining chemical safety. To meet these important goals, National Compliance Initiatives have been created as well as using tools like on-site inspections, data mining and information requests in order to identify violations quickly and take necessary actions against them.

Civil settlements between EPA and facilities also often produce environmental benefits beyond compliance and deterrence. For instance, in 2022 EPA reached an $1.4 billion agreement with Valero Energy Corporation and two subsidiaries to address violations of the Clean Air Act related to industrial flares at five refineries and one import facility.

As part of President Biden’s Investing in America’s Workforce initiative, the Clean School Bus Program allocates funds for replacing polluting diesel buses with clean and eco-friendly electric buses that help improve air quality around schools, advance environmental justice initiatives and decrease greenhouse gas pollution that contributes to climate crisis.

Taxpayers

EPA regulatory programs have successfully reduced emissions of mobile source air toxics such as benzene, tetrachloroethylene, and methylene chloride from vehicles, particularly diesel emissions reduction projects whereby the agency pays to replace older on-road and off-road trucks with cleaner engines; retrofits designed to reduce engine exhaust, such as filters or catalysts; as well as port and shipping facilities’ idling reduction equipment.

Future initiatives focus on reducing carbon pollution from cars and trucks, setting carbon standards for new power plants, and restricting methane from dairy farms.

But despite these successes, more work must be done. For instance, many communities still suffer from poor air quality while some face difficulties accessing clean drinking water supplies.

Automakers

The auto industry is America’s primary manufacturing sector, contributing 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) and employing over 9 million Americans. Every dollar spent on cars generates over a $1 trillion impact – from revenue for parts suppliers and paychecks for auto workers, through income for small businesses to tax revenues collected by local governments.

Automakers and their suppliers purchase hundreds of billions in steel, glass, rubber, iron and semiconductors every year from American producers; thus making them among our nation’s biggest exporters.

Even in an uncertain global auto market, traditional manufacturers as well as newer companies like Tesla and Rivian are investing heavily in Southern states. AlixPartners estimates automakers to spend approximately $58 billion over the next few years in Southern states for electric vehicle production alone; this change could have major ramifications on domestic automotive industry as it faces further rounds of union-management bargaining negotiations.

Environment

Environment protection involves safeguarding our natural surroundings from pollution and other threats that undermine human well-being, such as biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration, land conservation, pollution prevention and waste reduction. People can contribute to protecting the environment by recycling more often and employing green technology in everyday activities.

EPA’s CPP2.0 Proposal sets strict, costly and untested standards for America’s remaining coal and natural gas power plants that will increase electricity costs while increasing blackout risks – not to mention it exceeds EPA’s legal authority under Clean Air Act Section 111! This proposal may violate law as it exceeds their legal authority under Clean Air Act Section 111.

Claire McWilliams of the Environmental Protection Agency’s supervisory auditor office joins Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss her annual list of top management challenges faced by EPA. Staffing issues are crucial in terms of upholding laws and regulations as well as scientific integrity; staffing difficulties affect every part of government; however EPA faces particular difficulty when hiring staff due to record low unemployment and an increasingly constrained labor market.

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